bushing

American  

[boosh-ing] / ˈbʊʃ ɪŋ /

noun

bushings plural

1. Electricity. a lining for a hole, intended to insulate and protect from abrasion one or more conductors that pass through it.

2. Machinery.

   1. a replaceable thin tube or sleeve, usually of bronze, mounted in a case or housing as a bearing.

   2. a replaceable hardened steel tube used as a guide for various tools or parts, as a drill or valve rod.

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bushing British  

/ ˈbʊʃɪŋ /

noun

1. another word for bush 2

2. an adaptor having ends of unequal diameters, often with internal screw threads, used to connect pipes of different sizes

3. a layer of electrical insulation enabling a live conductor to pass through an earthed wall, etc

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• bushings
  plural

Etymology

Origin of bushing

First recorded in 1785–95; bush ² + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

Inspectors said the likely cause was moisture getting into the high-voltage "bushing" – insulation around the connections.

From BBC • Jul. 2, 2025

In that case, a safety recall report said “heat and humidity have the potential to contribute to the hydrological breakdown of the bushing material.”

From New York Times • Sep. 19, 2022

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says in documents posted on its website Wednesday that a bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission can degrade or detach.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 15, 2022

A damaged or missing shift cable bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear or the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the 'Park' position.

From Reuters • Jun. 15, 2022

The combine has broken down for the third time in as many days, and Westerberg is frantically trying to replace a hard-to-reach bushing before nightfall.

From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer

Related Words

• dressing
• layer
• mixture
• stuffing